Multi-part gas burners are one style of burners that are used for outdoor cooking. Normally these multi-part gas burners need to be dismantled and cleaned on a regular basis in order to guarantee that they will operate in an efficient manner.
Most burner assemblies will consist of a burner base, a burner head or burner ring, and a burner cap. Generally, the fuel is injected into the burner base, where it is mixed with air to create a flammable fuel air mixture. The fuel air mixture is then transported to a chamber between the burner head and the burner cap where it is distributed to a series of holes that are circumferentially arranged on the circumference of the burner head. These holes allow the fuel air mixture to escape and be ignited by an igniter. On many burners there are 2 series of holes that allow the fuel air mixture to escape. The first series of smaller holes is to provide both a good low flame and a sustaining flame, while the second series of holes are larger and provide an excellent main flame for the majority of cooking. The smaller holes also provide a reignite feature for the second series of holes, the main flame holes.
A primary disadvantage of some burner designs is that the burner head is loosely placed upon the burner base, with minimal orientation provisions, and with minimal provisions for positioning the burner head on the burner base. This would allow the burner head to be mis-positioned on the burner base, causing a loss of flammable gas or in a worst case situation, a potential for explosion. The burner cap in some of these burner assemblies is loosely placed on the top of the burner head. Many of the burner caps do not have any positive feature to guarantee that the burner cap is fixed in the optimal, or even correct position. The problems are compounded when the burner cap and/or burner head are made from lightweight materials. Many of the problems described would occur when the appliance is moved, which would cause the burner assembly""s components to be dislodged from their static positions.
In order to prevent the burner head from being dislodged from the burner base, positioning blades would be added, which would prevent the burner head from moving out of alignment. Additionally, the burner cap would be positively fixed onto the burner head, creating a burner head assembly, thereby preventing the burner head or burner cap from being dislodged out of alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,263 by Schlosser et al. is a good example of the state of the art in burners. A burner head base plate has provisions to insertably receive pins that are installed on the burner cap. A burner ring is interspaced between the burner head and the burner base plate. This system is fabricated from a relatively heavy material, such as brass. This guarantees that the burner assembly will not become easily dislodged.
The present invention remedies some of the shortcomings of the field of the art in burner head assemblies.
On burner head assemblies that are made from very light materials like aluminu,m especially in very thin gages, there is a tendency for the burner cap and/or burner head to become dislodged as they rely upon their own weight to prevent unwanted disassembly. The primary aspect of the invention is to positively secure the burner head to the burner ring, creating a much more secure device. The burner ring will have incorporated within it, a positive positioning feature that will interface with a corresponding complementary feature in the burner base. These two features will greatly reduce mis-orientation problems, and unintentional dislodging problems.